Ronald Lees

Sir Ronald Lees
Born (1910-04-27)27 April 1910
Broken Hill, New South Wales
Died 18 May 1991(1991-05-18) (aged 81)
Adelaide, South Australia
Allegiance Australia
United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Australian Air Force (1930–31)
Royal Air Force (1931–66)
Years of service 1930–66
Rank Air Marshal
Commands held RAF Germany (1963–65)
No. 83 Group (1952–55)
RAF Bassingbourn (1946–49)
No. 324 Wing (1942–43)
RAF Coltishall (1941–42)
No. 72 Squadron (1938–40)
Battles/wars Second World War
Awards Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar
Mentioned in Despatches (3)
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)

Air Marshal Sir Ronald Beresford Lees, KCB, CBE, DFC & Bar (27 April 1910 – 18 May 1991) was a senior Royal Air Force commander.

Early life

Lees was born at Broken Hill, New South Wales, the son of John Thomas Lees and Eliza Jane Moyle.[1] He was educated at Prince Alfred's College and St Peter's College, Adelaide and later read mathematics at Adelaide University.[2]

RAF career

In January 1930 Lees joined the RAAF as a cadet at Point Cook, Victoria and in January 1931 took up a short-service commission in the RAF.[2][3] He was made Officer Commanding No. 72 Squadron in 1938 and served in the Second World War taking part in the Battle of Britain in 1940.[4] During the war he served as Station Commander at RAF Coltishall, as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 242 Group and then on the Sicily Invasion Force.[3]

After the war he became Station Commander at RAF Bassingbourn.[3] He was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 83 Group in 1952, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) in 1955 and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Fighter Command in 1958.[3] He went on to be Deputy Chief of the Air Staff in 1960 and Commander-in-Chief of RAF Germany and Second Tactical Air Force in 1963 before retiring in 1966.[3]

References

  1. ↑ New South Wales Certificate of Entry in Register of Births, 281913 (1910 / 549)
  2. 1 2 A Few of "The Few", Dennis Newton, Australian War Memorial, 1990, ISBN 0 642 14991 7
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir Ronald Lees
  4. ↑ Our Few of the Few
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Charles Elworthy		 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
1960–1963 		Succeeded by
Sir Christopher Hartley
Preceded by
Sir John Grandy		 Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany
Also Commander of the Second Tactical Air Force
1963–1965 		Succeeded by
Sir Denis Spotswood
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